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Even with a little rain, Providence's downtown was welcoming territory for Thursday's lead-off events for CNU IV. We are, after all, urbanists.
In both his on-line welcome and in-person greetings to Congress attendees Thursday night, Providence Mayor David Cicilline assured us he considers himself one of the group. (See opening night here) Certainly his town will provide plenty of examples over the next few days about the interconnected components of a livable urban environment.
Those who wanted to hear the full theory first hand got the chance with Andres Duany's New Urbanism 101 course (see a report here). It's such a popular way to absorb the key elements and their connective threads, even veterans return to hear one of the movement's most popular teachers and practitioners deliver the basics. On Wednesday and Thursday, tours headed out into the neighborhoods and surrounding areas for glimpses at how ideas work themselves out in the real-life labs on streets and in the countryside. (For an update on Mashpee Commons, click here; for a taste of agriculture on the urban edge, go here.)
Meanwhile, architects and designers used some of the first day's sessions to check in on the progress of developing programs, such as the expansion of the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED certification process to include neighborhood development. (For an update, click here).
Today, the action accelerates, with this morning's kick-off plenary session with developers. This is where we'll get our first opportunity to collectively engage the Congress's 2006 theme - developing New Urbanism. Watch this space tomorrow for a report on trends and new research emerging from this session.
The Friday luncheon is a celebration of this year's Charter Awards. And the afternoon Council focusing on pattern books will be a great way to get up to speed on these tools for stimulating appropriate development.
The day's most provocative session is likely to be the afternoon plenary in which ULI chair Marilyn Jordan Taylor, Andres Duany, and others address "Urbanism at the Tipping Point." Andres has been warming to this topic for months.
If there is such a tipping point, some of the push is coming from the increasingly intensive media coverage of New Urbanism. If you want to share your concerns, gripes, and questions about that, consider the afternoon meeting addressing "New Urbanism and the Media."
To review full descriptions for Friday’s sessions click here.
And whatever you do, enjoy the opportunities we advocate for New Urbanist clients and citizens. Hit the Block, where Congress attendees create their own ad hoc councils and seminars on the city streets.
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 Witness Thursday’s Happenings
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